Freshman awarded for heroism

Thousands of freshmen enter IU each year bringing their own list of accomplishments and scholarships. But few can be held in the same light as 18-year-old freshman Aaron Allen, from Irvine, California.\nAllen has received multiple awards in areas ranging from art, music, photography and writing. But the real highlight of Allen's list of accolades came recently when he received the 2003 American Legion National Eagle Scout of the Year.\nAllen said he fit the requirements for the contest well.\n"You had to be an Eagle Scout, and to apply to the American Legion, you had to have a family member in it. My dad is a member," Allen said. "I just turned in an application and I won."\nBut it was Allen's work and dedication that went into each aspect of the application that made him a quality candidate. \nAllen acquired roughly 85 different merit badges over his 10 years in scouts and seemed destined for high honors from the start.\n"(Allen) started in second grade in Cub Scouts and received the 'Arrow of Light Award,' which allowed him to enter the Boy Scouts early," said Allen's father, Ron Allen.\nAaron continued getting more involved in the community while receiving honors all along the way.\n"Scouting was a natural fit for Aaron," said Keith Ingersoll, a childhood advisor and mentor of Aaron's. "Once he got in there, he just started knocking down merit badges left and right." \nWhile all the awards were well received, Aaron said his Heroism Award carried the most weight. He obtained the award after saving his friend's life atop a mountain.\n"A friend and I were hiking to the top of a mountain with my dad when my friend collapsed (from kidney failure)," Aaron said. "We were at the top of a mountain with no water, so we squeezed the water out of a tuna can and gave him that. We just kept him from going into shock. Then we had a miracle -- the cell phone worked from the top of the mountain, and he was rescued about 45 minutes later."\nAaron's Heroism Award isn't the only thing parents and supporters said put him in the spotlight.\n"Aaron distinguishes himself by bringing it all together," Ingersoll said. "He just brings talent, intelligence and motivation and puts it all there in one package."\nRon attributes his son being well rounded as the number one factor, but also the fact that Aaron simply stuck with it and kept going.\n"After Eagle Scout, a lot of kids just disappear," Ron said. "But Aaron just kept going and started really making a difference."\nAaron Allen came to IU to pursue a double major in music composition and public affairs. Accrediting the fact that IU ranks numbers one and three in those fields, and the great atmosphere, Allen said his choice was pretty easy.\nNow that Aaron has reached IU, he has not stopped trying to make a difference.\nHe has recently been looking to start up a "Scout Ship" in Bloomington, which he explained as a group similar to Boy Scouts, but with out the same "preppy" stereotypes. Plus it would be open to boys and girls, he said. \nAaron said he has already found a few other people around IU who seem interested, but is looking for at least six to get the group started. \n"It would pretty much involve going out to lakes and hiking," Aaron said. "It would be dedicated to making them a better person, but a lot of it revolves around water."\nAaron said that he has learned area scout chapters have wanted a ship for a long time, and he said he is hoping to make that happen.\n-- Contact staff writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.